Centurion
The Centurion (A41) was a late/post-war British tank and considered to be the first Main Battle Tank (MBT). Designed as an "universal tank", it was one of the most successful early post-war tank designs and replaced both infantry and cruiser tanks. History In 1943, the Directorate of Tank Design, under Sir Claude Gibb, Fellow of the Royal Society and the Commander of Most Excellent Order of the British Empire was asked to produce a new design for a heavy cruiser tank under the General Staff designation A41. After a series of fairly mediocre designs in the A series in the past, and bearing in mind the threat posed by the German 88mm gun, the War Office demanded a major revision of the design requirements, specifically: increased durability and reliability, the ability to withstand a direct hit from the German 88mm gun and providing greater protection against mines. Initiated in September 1943, the prototype would greatly evolve until reaching a phase close of its final design in October 1943, a welded hull with sloped armour and a partially cast turret with the highly regarded 17-pdr as the main gun and a coaxial 20 mm Polsten cannon (later switched with a 7.7 mm BESA machine-gun, a Rolls-Royce Meteor and a Horstmann suspension. Design mock-ups were built by AEC Ltd in May 1944, 20 pilot models were ordered with various armament combinations: ten with a 17-pdr and a 20 mm Polsten gun (of which half had a Besa machine gun in the turret rear and half an escape door), five with a 17-pdr, a forward Besa and an escape door, and five with a QF 77 mm gun and a driver-operated hull machine gun. Six prototypes of the the Centurion Mk.I were produced in January 1945, but they arrived in Belgium less than a month after the war in Europe ended in May 1945. The Centurion would enter British service in 1950. While it didn't fought during WW2 it saw combat in further conflicts with various countries. With United Kingdom during the Korean War and the 1955 Suez Crisis, with Israel during the 1967 Six Day War, 1973 Yom Kippur War, and the 1978 and 1982 invasions of Lebanon, with Jordania in 1970 to fend off a Syrian incursion within its borders during the Black September events and later in the Golan Heights in 1973, with India during Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, with Australia during Vietnam War and with South Africa during the 1966 Border War. It became one of the most widely used tank designs, equipping armies around the world, with some still in service until the 1990s. South Africa still operates the ingenuously developed and upgraded variant of the Centurion called the Olifant. In Girls und Panzer Der Film During their match against Ooarai Compound Team, All-Star University fielded one Centurion Mk.I commanded by Alice Shimada. The Centurion was mainly away from the front lines in the early part of the match and when both teams reached the Amusement Park, stayed idle on a hill while Alice coordinated information with her three company commanders. Alice finally joined in after both sides lost around half of their respective forces. Moments after entering the west gate, the Centurion was ambushed by Chi-Ha-Tan and Duck Team, but Alice maintained her composure. In an incredible display of agility and sound judgement, the Centurion prevailed despite being outnumbered, destroying the two Chi-Has, one Shinhoto, the Ha-Go and the Type 89B in less than thirty seconds. During the Centurion's rounds in the park, it was also successful in putting the M3 Lee out of commission after it shot two Chaffees on the roller coaster rails. The Hetzer, the malfunctioning Chi-Nu, the CV.33 and finally the B1 Bis were also taken out en route. An all-out battle starts after the Centurion regroups with the two remaining Pershings and they encounter the surviving tanks of the Ooarai team in the central area. The Pershings were soundly defeated, leaving the Centurion to struggle alone against the Panzer IV and Tiger I. Though it was able to hold its own, the Centurion missed a critical opportunity to destroy the Panzer IV because Alice was distracted by a mechanical bear ride crossing the firing line. The ride was inadvertently activated while the opposing teams where exchanging fire early on. The Nishizumi sisters then unleash their unorthodox strategy to end it all: Maho's Tiger I gives the Panzer IV a speed boost by firing a blank round from behind, putting Miho in a good shooting position from point-blank range. Caught off-guard, Alice was not able to react in time and the Centurion was fired at directly. The Centurion and the Panzer IV both had their white flags raised in the end, resulting in the loss of the University Team. Trivia *This tank is currently the latest World War II Tank in the series, being too late to see action in that conflict. *Originally in the Monthly Comic Alive magazine version Kilimanjaro landed in Bellwall Academy's ground with a Centurion tank but during the match she uses a Black Prince, it has since been corrected in the paper version as the Centurion has been replaced by the Black Prince. *The Centurion is so far the deadliest tank in the series, destroying eleven tanks in one match. *Alice's tank clearly lacks the 20 mm Polsten cannon fitted in a ball mount on the turret of the Mk. 1s. It is replaced by a regular 0.303 in Besa machine gun. Gallery Category:Tanks Category:British Tanks Category:Heavy Tanks Category:Selection University Category:TemporaryCategory